Hi Folks,
Just a little post to let you know I uploaded works from my latest show, “Sleeping in the Forest, Waking in the Desert” into a new page on my website. Go see them all together here.
Cheers!

Hi Folks,
Just a little post to let you know I uploaded works from my latest show, “Sleeping in the Forest, Waking in the Desert” into a new page on my website. Go see them all together here.
Cheers!
Hello again!
It has been a while since I’ve posted and I told myself “no excuses” today, so hello. Here I am.
I feel like I’ve been doing the doggy paddle (the very inefficient yet endearing swimming stroke of K9s and young children) in the art department for a while. That is to say, not much has been happening in terms of painting, yet I am still reading a lot (which I consider research in a way), and exploring many new avenues of creation:
I have taught myself how to sew (sorry Mom, I forgot whatever you taught me when I was 12 and have had to re-learn it all) and made a few projects. Here is a decent sized “market bag”:
These were brand new skills people, hence the excitement expressed in the captions.
In addition to sewing I have been knitting up a storm. I picked up knitting last October and upon reaching my first year anniversary of knitting decided to step it up a notch. I’ve since made several intricate (to me) shawls and socks and am presently working on my first sweater.
The “sugared violets” shawl (that is the name of the pattern from the designer Rose Beck) I made to wear at the closing reception of a student art show I juried at Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU). The second shawl pictured is “herbivore” by Stephen West and I made it to wear at the closing reception of my solo art show at the ENMU art gallery. I will obviously be wearing them all the time now, and they are reminders of those fun events.
I’ve also started screen printing. This is a really neat method of creating multiple prints on fabric.
The process involves:
1. Creating a screen: I used a sheer fabric held tight in an embroidery hoop. I drew a design on the screen in pencil and applied outdoor house paint to all the spots I didn’t want the ink to go through. I applied multiple coats and let the screen dry.
2. Next I chose the objects I wished to print on (pictured in the photo is a pillowcase but I also printed on tank tops etc.)
3. I placed the screen on the items I wanted to print, making sure to lay cardboard inside of them (so the image didn’t bleed through to the other side of the fabric) and used a foam brush to push the screen printing ink through the screen.
Voila:
All in all I’ve been enjoying these new arts/crafts and am excited about what I can make as my skills develop!
Last but not least, I’ve been occupied in the University Singers choir on campus, preparing for our Christmas concert which was Friday the 9th. We did two performances and had very full, very enthusiastic audiences. It was such a blast I simply cannot wait until next semester’s new lineup of songs! I’ll try to post before our next performance so those of you who are local can try to attend.
I’m not sure if I’ll be painting or drawing that much in the coming month, as there will be travel involved and crafted presents I’d like to finish making but perhaps in the new year my painting and drawing will progress back into a front-crawl or breast-stroke pace… we’ll see. For now you’re stuck with doggy paddle… which is at least a step up from treading water.
As always, thank you for reading and take care of yourselves during this holiday season!
This flower brightened up the drudgery of grocery shopping for me today. I saw it behind the glass in the flower section on my way to produce and it stopped me in my tracks. I paused, leaning on the handle of my shopping cart and just admired it for a while. I thought about how the center of my wedding bouquet was also a Gerbera daisy. After a few moments I snapped out of it and took two more steps towards the produce section but paused again and looked back. Then there was an audible sigh. Then I walked back, plucked the peach flower from the vase of Gerberas, laid it on top of my carton of organic eggs and carried on my merry way.
And for those of you who know me, it was also a unique day in that I felt extra zing and actually bought a bottle of grey/brown/purple nail polish (pictured here). That makes two non-essentials in one shopping trip! What extravagance!
What simple joy.
I found this planter in the Roswell Museum and Art Center – the result of an art day/class for kids, and it made me very happy.
I just got back from my wedding (insert grin here) and am soon to embark on some travels so I thought I’d try to get a few posts in before the departure! It is a busy time but I have not forgotten about this blog! You can expect at least a few sketches from time to time over the next month and regular posting will resume in June.
Here are some fragile flowers that fell from their bouquet that I couldn’t bear to throw out. They continue to live cheerily in a wine glass, and now also on this canvas: